I've written an article for Theatre Research International about Laura Bowler's music theatre piece Houses Slide and its representation of climate psychology. It's available here, should you wish to peruse it! shorturl.at/f4VGd. @tandfresearch.bsky.social

Climate psychology as music theatre in Laura Bowler’s Houses Slide

This article analyses Houses Slide, a music theatre piece for soprano and orchestra composed by Laura Bowler, first presented by London Sinfonietta in 2021 in a performance directed by Katie Mitche...

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Sound design offers infinite possibilities. So why do we default to naturalism?

A sound designer makes the case for abstraction

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www.nytimes.com/2026/03/07/m...

Rebecca Solnit Says the Left’s Next Hero Is Already Here

nytimes.com

I keep saying a version. Knowledge is only gained through labor. Eliminate labor and you eliminate learning. No learning, no knowledge.

Sara Norja@saranorja.bsky.social · 8mo ago

This essay (by Ronald Purser) is brilliant. "Thinking, like strength, develops through resistance. The more we delegate our mental strain to machines, the more we lose the capacity to think at all." YES!!! www.currentaffairs.org/news/ai-is-d...

Why Does A.I. Write Like … That? www.nytimes.com/2025/12/03/m...

Why Does A.I. Write Like … That?

nytimes.com

Re-reading Tom Stoppard's Arcadia, and remembering how joyous it was to perform. We must stir our way onward mixing as we go...

The Climate Choir strikes again in King's Cross! 🎵🎶🎵 Rosebank, Rosebank, YOU SHALL NOT PASS! Burning the #Rosebank oil would emit more than 200 million tons of CO2, while not helping our energy security because the oil would be sold on the international markets. It's madness.

Stop Rosebank@stopcambo.bsky.social · 11mo ago

BREAKING: 🎶 Flash mob takes over King’s Cross Station in a protest against climate-wrecking Rosebank oil field. Rosebank’s future is undecided. But together, we can stop it. @climatechoirs.bsky.social have used their voices - will you use yours? 📣 Join us 👉 bit.ly/rosebankchoir

Part of the ‘Gathering Ground’ exhibition at the Tate.

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/01/m...

Is ‘The Wizard of Oz’ at Sphere the Future of Cinema? Or the End of It?

nytimes.com

"I Teach Creative Writing. This Is What A.I. Is Doing to Students." www.nytimes.com/2025/07/18/o...

Opinion | I Teach Creative Writing. This Is What A.I. Is Doing to Students.

nytimes.com

Hugh Shrapnel’s Improvisation Rite 44 (1969): 'Do something impossible, Do something possible; Make the impossible thing seem possible, Make the possible thing seem impossible'.

A funny piece from Cornelius Cardew's The Great Learning (1971)

The Earthlings Family Orchestra has been creating music to, with & about the accompanying ambiences of Exeter's Lower Hoopern Valley. It's been interesting and surprising. I'll write it up soon. In the meantime, these silent pics show a little of the space we shared & the space we made.

ORGANS! clavichord, bon tempi organ, pipe organ, Venta organ, stylophone - Simon Belshaw has been 'converting pieces written to be played by a computer into pieces playable by musicians.' for our ECS concert 14/6. #ECSLostandFound #artweekexeter #artweekexeter25 #awe25 substack.com/home/post/p-...

My book Death in Modern Theatre: Stages of Mortality, first published by @manchesterup.bsky.social‬ in 2019, is now out in paperback at a more affordable price. manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526191236/ The subject matter may be 'heavy', but now the book is lighter...

Manchester University Press - Death in modern theatre

Death in modern theatre - Browse and buy the Paperback edition of Death in modern theatre by Adrian Curtin

manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk

This petition was created by postgraduates at Plymouth University, responding to the proposed cutting of fine art, performing arts and music. This would be a huge loss to creative education in the region as well as to the city's cultural ecology and wellbeing. Please sign.

Sign the Petition

Stop the cuts to Arts, Design & Architecture courses at University of Plymouth

change.org

Staff & students @uniofexeterdrama.bsky.social attend an in-house screening of Romeo Castellucci’s strange yet beautiful piece Inferno (2008), inspired by Dante’s The Divine Comedy. What dreams may come!

My book The Theatrical Orchestra: British Music Ensembles Experiment with Performance is out! I write about some amazing groups and aim to convey the richness of their work. Please consider ordering a copy for your library. manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526177629/ @manchesterup.bsky.social

Manchester University Press - The theatrical orchestra

The theatrical orchestra - Browse and buy the Hardcover edition of The theatrical orchestra by Adrian Curtin

manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk

Spotted at the Glucksman museum in Cork. I initially thought it was a real person.

Breaking: 200-strong Climate Choir stages flashmob in St Paul's Cathedral, demanding that @churchofengland.org - a top ten UK landowner - #rewild 30% of its land. Nature is in crisis. Time to #RewildTheChurch! @wildcard.land #ChurchofEngland #nature #wildlife #choir #climate #whatwouldjesusdo

Loré Lixenberg's call for The Voice Party, a participatory operatic political structure that proposes to radically musicalise the entire fabric of society. Taken from the open-access book, Classical Music Futures: Practices of Innovation: www.openbookpublishers.com/books/10.116....

Exeter Drama finalists have presented devised work for audiences around the city. There were shows about female codebreakers, fast fashion, women’s football, AI, the nature of art, our relationship with light, political cabaret, & toxic relationships. Quite a mix! @uniofexeterdrama.bsky.social

A shopfront curiosity in Exeter.

to what shall I / compare this world of ours –

‘The Ostrich Dance of Renita Kramer’ (1950s).

Statement from the Royal Musical Association on the School of Music at Cardiff University: www.rma.ac.uk/2025/02/03/s...

Cardiff University is at the forefront of music education in the UK – a leader in composition, musicology and performance. Losing the music department would be a terrible loss to the cultural life of Wales and the wider musical world. If you care about music at all, please sign the petition below.

Sign the Petition

SAVE CARDIFF UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MUSIC

change.org

Simon Stephens enthusiastically leads a playwriting workshop for Drama and Creative Writing students at the University of Exeter. @uofedrama.bsky.social

Supportive messages and tips from last year's graduating students @exeterdrama.bsky.social on display for this year's finalists as they begin work on their Practical Essay projects -- hat tip to @evom.bsky.social.

Samuel Beckett’s hands, 1980.